Chapter Four

Zerial sat on her new bed reading '100 House-Hold Charms' by Camilla Honeycut. Daphne was sitting at the foot of Zerial's bed eating carrots. after buying all of the things on her mother's list, (some of which were for her mother.)

Zerial had gone straight to the book store called flourish and Blots. She loved reading. any thing she could get her hands on, she would read. she had spent sixteen galleons on books. she had come to realize that you could buy a lot of things with a galleon. and mother had been rather shocked when Zerial had walked back into the Leakey cauldron with twelve bags. and eight of them were full of books. Erick however, laughed.

Zerial was reading about a scrubbing charm when a knock came at her door. "come in." she said setting the book down and gathering up Daphne.

"hows' your book?" Mother asked looking at the shelves covered in books.

"which one?" Zerial asked setting Daphne into her front overall pocket.

"the one you were just reading." mother said examining the book cover.

"fine. im learning the easy way to clean my room." Zerial said putting the book back on its shelf.

"dinner ready?" Zerial asked

"as a matter of fact it is. though," mother paused a moment.

Zerial waited, knowing perfectly well that if she gave her mother time to put her thoughts together, she would hear them.

"Erick wanted to take you flying. and i thought maybe it would be fun for you to go flying with him."

"i would love to! when can we go?" Zerial all but yelled.

"thought you would." Erick said coming around the corner and into her room. "we can go now if you like. just grab that broom of yours and lets go."

Zerial ran to her trunk and said, "open, open, open!" the trunk quivered. "please!" she begged. and the lid smoothly lifted off of the trunk.

She grabbed the broom and followed Erick out of the room.

Erick was holding a picnic basket. "Lets get going." he said. and shouldered his own broom. as they walked to the back of the pub, Zerial was faintly aware that none of this actually seemed real to her. she felt as though she could wake up at any moment, and still be at home, with out Daphne, with out a broom that she was about to learn how to fly. but she shoved it out of her mind and decided that if it really was a dream, she would just have to be disappointed when she woke up.

"Where are we going?" Zerial asked. hadn't mother said they couldn't fly in the day because the muggles would see them?

"i know where some muggle free land is in Colchester." Erick said tapping the center brick to get into Diagon alley. "there is a little town there. no one will mind us flying over their shops."

"okay. but isn't Colchester kind of far from here?" Zerial asked sceptically.

"yes. it is. we wont be flying there. we will travel by fireplace. but im taking you to a place i know that has great onion soup." He said with a grin.

"thanks im starved." Zerial said, stomach growling at the mention of onion soup.

"i like the cooking at the pub. But you haven't lived until you've had some of Mrs. Mimi's soup. her onion is my special favorite."

"speaking of special favorites, do you love my mother?" Zerial asked with a grin.

"why, yes i do. she is the best house keeper the pub has had since I've owned it." Erick said grinning back at Zerial. Did she detect a faint blush?

"no, really. are you in love with her?" Zerial pressed.

"i carried a torch for her in school." Erick said, still grinning. This time

Zerial was sure he was blushing.

they followed the curve in the cobbled street and stopped in front of a shop called: Mrs. Mimi's Soup Brigade.

"that was then this is now." she said as they walked in and sat at the bar.

"it is now. you are correct." Erick said with out looking at her.

a woman walked out of a room behind the bar and walked right to them. "hello Erick. i hear your lady friend is finally back from the muggle world."

this time Erick's blush was so pronounced that he was brick red. "um. yes. yes she is." Erick cleared his throat. "this is her daughter, Zerial. you remember her don't you.?"

"of course i do. don't be silly Erick. now tell me," the woman said turning to talk to Zerial. she bent over to rest her elbows on the bar. "do the boys just fawn over you? i was rather picked on myself when i was a child."

"well, no. i am picked on a lot as well. the boys tease me about my hair." Zerial admitted. "forgive me, but...who are you?"

the woman let out a booming laugh. "sorry about that. me asking you questions and all. you don't remember me. do you?"

"of course she doesn't Mimi. she was a baby." Eric muttered.

"right well. im Mimi Fletcher. this here is my restraunt. and if i do say so myself --"

"you have picked the right one. my soup is to die for!" Erick finished for her.

Mrs. Mimi blushed. Zerial however laughed.

"she's got a silvery laugh doesn't she?" Mrs. Mimi said dreamily.

"her girls have all moved away from Europe. be careful or she will think you are hers." Erick muttered behind his menu.

Mrs. Mimi whacked him over the head playfully. Erick grinned. "what'll it be?" she asked taking a pad of paper out of an apron pocket.

"union soup please." Erick said.

Mrs. Mimi hit him again. "not you dolt. i know thats all you eat. i was talking to Zerial here."

"union soup please." Zerial said as her stomach growled.

"joined his little club have you?" the woman asked as she pushed her way through the swinging doors from which she had come.

"she's uh," Zerial began but couldn't find a word for this woman.

"Defiantly not out-spoken." Erick whispered.

"i heard that!" came a shout from the back room. "there you go." she said setting two bowls of steaming hot union soup in front of them. "enjoy." Mrs. Mimi said before disappearing again.

"eat quick, its getting dark" Erick said and started to gobbled his food.

Zerial followed suit and shoveled her food as well.

When they were done eating, Erick left eight sickles on the counter and led Zerial to the fireplace.

"what are we doing here?" Zerial asked looking at the empty grate.

Erick walked into it. "come on," he said grabbing a handful of powder and beckoning her forward.

Zerial walked in and stood next to him. he wrapped his arm protectively around her waist. he through the powder into the fireplace and yelled, "Molly Zimmerman's, 102 No Name Colchester!"